Laparoscopic surgery, also known as minimally invasive surgery, is becoming an increasingly popular method of surgery. The number of surgeons graduating each year with advance minimally invasive training continues to increase, which means that the number of minimally invasive abdominal cases will also increase. One of the most challenging aspects of laparoscopic surgery is to be able to clearly visualize the organ of concern without having to constantly clear away intestines or other nearby organs from falling into the operative field.
For example, the removal of an inflamed appendix requires the surgeon to be able to isolate this organ from its nearby surrounding tissues, such as the colon, sigmoid, ileum, jejunum, ovaries, etc. If this operation were performed openly, through a large incision, then the surgeon has the option of using sterile towels to push the other intestines and organs away from the inflamed appendix, thereby creating a clear visual field for the safe removal of the organ.
Laparoscopically, the surgeon does not have the option of using a sterile towel. The frustration is amplified by the fact that the visualized operative field through a laparoscope is very narrow and close-up, and the avalanche of intestines into the operative field is often visualized suddenly at a critical part of the dissection process. Therefore, the surgeon must constantly “clear the field” by constantly pushing the adjacent organs away as they fall back and cover up the appendix, or try to utilize the tilt function of the operating room table to hopefully allow the adjacent organs to fall away from the operative field. This is an inconsistent method of isolating the operative field, which leads to an inefficient and sometimes dangerous operation.
Various tools have been developed for retracting organs from the field of vision during surgery. However, some of these tools themselves have been known to impart damage to the organs themselves.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a retractor for laparoscopic surgery that removes organs from the field of vision safely and effectively.